Rutland native dives into the Think Tank

BY PATRICIA ROY SPECIAL TO THE LANDMARK

Thursday

Sep 10, 2009 at 12:01 AM

Maybe you've given home schooling some serious thought, but wondered about your commitment and ability to go it alone. Perhaps the last time you approached a science curriculum, Pluto was still considered a solid planet, or your only true foray into a foreign language involved Pig Latin.

Worry no more. Think Tank is here to help you.

The Think Tank is the brain child of Lauren Munroe, who grew up in town, attended Naqaug School, and graduated from Wachusett Regional High School. Think Tank offers classes in math, science and foreign languages where home-schooling families can find creative, up-to-date instruction as well as support from others going the same road.

Think Tank is located in the sprawling red brick building known as the Sprinkler Factory on Harlow Street in Worcester. Inside, the Think Tank space includes a large, open floor space, with high windows, shining hardwood floors and a welcoming atmosphere. There is a lab for classes and a community room, where students gather to hang out while they wait for classes or rides, and on at least one recent day were noodling around on guitars.

"I got my start tutoring the children of friends who were home schooling," Munroe said. "Then finally one day, I realized there had to be an easier way than driving around with fruit flies, scales and a microscope in my car."

"I needed help gathering a home-schooling community, and those were the friends that helped," Munroe said.

Munroe rented the Sprinkler Factory space with a modest inheritance from her dad, Robert Munroe, a science teacher and 30-year Rutland resident who died in 2008. Almost before she knew it, her friends had helped to paint the space and launch a Web site. Think Tank was off the ground and that is when Munroe realized that not only had she made contact with the home schooling community, it was bigger than she thought.

Going strong in its second year of operation, Think Tank serves students in the 8- to 17-year age range, with classes geared to 8- to 12-year-olds or teens.

"Our philosophy is that courses are experiential learning; there is lots of 'hands on' in our courses," Munroe said. "Get something living in front of them, something alive that engages their attention."

Hands-on learning is something Munroe has embraced in her own life. After graduating from UMass Amherst, she spent three years traveling and teaching. Aboard a non-profit cruise liner, Peace Boat, Munroe gave lessons in astronomy as the boat circumnavigated the globe, on a mission to spread peace through education. She also taught English in Japan. She has earned her teaching certificate and currently is working toward a master's degree in biology at Worcester State.

Munroe also taught at You Inc., in Worcester, in a program for at-risk teens, refining her ideas about teaching methods.

"While I was there I had to develop a lot of creative classes for kids 13 though 17 and that's stayed with me," she said.

Munroe likes the large blocks of time that are available to students who follow a homeschooling schedule and classes at Think Tank can range from one and a half to four hours, depending on subject and the age group participating.

"The kids have a lot of time to develop their skills and talents. [But] we still have to make sure they're being taught the essentials that maybe they aren't so interested in," she said. As students age, Munroe feels that it's good for them to be able to devote more time to the subjects that really motivate them.

Mathematics makes a showing, too, with a basic skills class, as well as a course titled "Algebra and Beyond." History — ancient medieval, and U.S. — is offered. French, creative writing and photography round out the fall calendar. Those last two classes have 5 p.m. starting times and are favorites with traditionally schooled students as well as home-schoolers.

Munroe is proud of the internship and volunteer opportunities that Think Tank is able to provide for older students.

"We have joined kids with Heifer International, Habitat for Humanity and the Worcester County Food Bank," she said.

Throughout the year, Think Tank runs special events to raise funds and educate students. Last April, kids and parents were invited to make their own sushi rolls.

"It was a fundraiser, but everyone got to learn about making sushi," using seaweed, vinegared rice, tofu and fruit, Munroe said. The event also introduced Japanese culture and gave students a chance to learn some characters in that language.

Think Tank has begun running its fall schedule, but is still allowing students to join classes. For more information on classes, activities and fees, visit thethinktankworcester. com.